CLEVELAND, Ohio — A charge of driving under the influence will be dropped against Cleveland Councilman Eugene Miller and he will plead no contest to a lesser charge of "physical control," his attorney William Lefaiver said today.

The plea deal calls for no jail time or loss of driver's license, he said.

A sentencing has been set for 1 p.m. today in Cleveland Municipal Court in front of a visiting judge.

His blood-alcohol level registered .056, a police spokesman said. That was below the .08 limited to operate a vehicle, but officers also rely on training and discretion to determine if a suspect is intoxicated.

During a field sobriety tests, Miller struggled to recite the alphabet. On a police video of the traffic stop, the councilman can be heard arguing with the officers. One officer also can be heard telling his partner that Miller stated he is a councilman.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.